26 games to go and there's nothing to see here

[CroFlames]

I don't understand the love affair with Reimer. To me, he's no better than Ramo.

[The Big Chill]

Gaudreau - Monahan - XXX
XXX - Bennett - XXX
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
XXX-XXX-XXX

Giordano-Brodie
XXX-Hamilton
XXX-XXX

XXX
XXX

This is pretty much what I see. Players on this list can be built around, everyone else is either a UFA, a bad contract, or just not really that hard to replace. Frolik could possibly do well on the 2nd line, but we still have at least two massive gaping holes at winger on our top 2 lines.

We need to play this smart. No sweeping changes this off-season, no taking on bad contracts to get rid of ours, and no massive overspending on FAs. My focus for the offseason would be finding a solution at GK, and filling one of the holes on the wing. If that can be done through FA, great, if not, then any player not named on the list above could be used in a trade.

Next season will be where some big moves can be made. Wideman, Smid, and Engelland are all quite tradeable by then, and some of our young Dmen should be about ready to step up into their places for a fraction of the price.

We really need to hit a homerun in the draft this year. I really hope we can get a bit of luck and draft one of the top 2 Finns. Adding one of them would really fill a huge gap.

[polak]

Originally Posted by flamesfan1297

I just want to say that Polak has the most accurate avatar when compared to his posting style. Everything he posts is so negative and sad, so is his avatar. Everytime I read one of his posts and then look at his avatar it makes me laugh. It just fits his posting style so well.

Credit to Heep.

My venting here keeps me sane in Real Life.

As for the Bennett to center thing, I think we'll see it next year. It's still his rookie season.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Gaudreau - Monahan - XXX
XXX - Bennett - XXX
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
XXX-XXX-XXX

Giordano-Brodie
XXX-Hamilton
XXX-XXX

We really need to hit a homerun in the draft this year. I really hope we can get a bit of luck and draft one of the top 2 Finns. Adding one of them would really fill a huge gap.

Conservative projection:
Gaudreau-Bennett-XXXX
XXXX-Monahan-Frolik
Ferland-Backlund-Colborne?
Bouma-Grant/Arnold/Granlund/Stajan-Jooris/Hathaway

Personally I think Ferland can develop into a top two line power forward and fill one of the two holes. Bouma could replace him on the 3rd line. If Ferland does develop then we're only one major forward away when healthy.

Forwards in this draft who fill the hole IMO would be: Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Nylander and perhaps Dubois/Gauthier.
I think Chychrun would give us another top pairing defender so we'd have four of them long term with Gio, Grodie, Hamilton and Chychrun to have an elite, contender calibre defense.

Top 3 pick amazing (Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi)
Top 6 pick still pretty frickin good (Chychrun, Tkachuk, Nylander)
Top 9 pick will still solve a huge hole probably (Dubois, Gauthier, McLeod, Juolevi, Sergachev)

Can't go wrong really.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Some interesting thought experiments. I know some of you will complain about me putting Ferland in these lines but w/e, make your own :P

Scenario 1
Bennett-Matthews-Ferland
Gaudreau-Monahan-Frolik

Scenario 2
Ferland-Bennett-Laine
Gaudreau-Monahan-Frolik

Scenario 3
Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland
Frolik-Monahan-Puljujarvi

Scenario 4
Gaudreau-Bennett-Tkachuk
Ferland-Monahan-Frolik

Scenario 5
Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland
Nylander-Monahan-Frolik

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by blender

Good post; well-written and passionate with a lot of insight.

Two points from me:

One, Bennett is that player; I agree with you there 100%, but I don't feel the angst about him playing wing this season. The skills that will make him a #1 center won't atrophy on the wing. He will get there. His game has developed in front of our eyes this season. We just need to be patient. I have no issue with how he is being used.

To add to that, Bennett played a ton as a left winger in junior. He's a versatile forward. I have no issue with him playing wing in his rookie season. I think we'll see him graduate to C next season full-time. If anything him playing wing just goes to show how versatile he is, and that's a good thing.

So it's not like its some foreign territory that some people make it out to be. He's a bit more sheltered as a winger and I don't think anybody can really complain about how he's progressed as the seasons gone along. And we haven't heard a peep from Bennett about it either.

IMO it's a non-issue going forward.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Some interesting thought experiments. I know some of you will complain about me putting Ferland in these lines but w/e, make your own :P

Scenario 1
Bennett-Matthews-Ferland
Gaudreau-Monahan-Frolik

Why is it a foregone conclusion that drafting Auston Matthews makes Sam Bennett a winger? Monahan has a game that's very well-suited to playing his fair share of wing someday, in fact it would probably open up his game with the added room that wingers get:

Frolik-Matthews-Monahan
Ferland-Bennett-Gaudreau

Plus, now if you get an injury at center, you`ve got a guy with a ton of experience at center to fill right in seamlessly. All three guys should be developed as C`s.

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

To add to that, Bennett played a ton as a left winger in junior.

Bennett never played much LW in Junior. He played LW in minor beside McDavid.

IMO His game just doesn't translate as well to the wing, he drives himself into dead ends offensively and defensively his vision and passing get nullified at LW because he`s now the guy waiting for the puck. I'm sure he can become a good LW but "can" and "should" are different things. I mean he's a great forechecker and great in the corners but so are great centers like Crosby, Toews, and Bergeron.

Originally Posted by blender

One, Bennett is that player; I agree with you there 100%, but I don't feel the angst about him playing wing this season. The skills that will make him a #1 center won't atrophy on the wing. He will get there. His game has developed in front of our eyes this season. We just need to be patient. I have no issue with how he is being used.

That`s fair, but seeing Sam at center today is the sort of thing that makes one impatient. He was a damn conductor out there! I just feel like he makes his defensemen better, he makes his wingers better. At LW, he only makes himself better.

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I don't understand the love affair with Reimer. To me, he's no better than Ramo.

Agree with the first part - I think it's people drinking the Toronto Kool-Aid. But I don't think he's as good as Ramo.

[PeteMoss]

Reimer is in the Montoya mold. Wildly inconsistent guy who's having a good year. I don't want to get locked into a long term contract with a guy who's all over the map in his performance year to year. Go short term unless you can get an actual #1 guy.

[blender]

Have to agree with the love for Bennett at C last night. As much as I don't have a problem with him playing wing at this point in his career, maybe the time is now for him to stay in the middle.